From Darkness Into Light
by Prongs1810
Summary: Two years after HBP, Voldemort's taken over the Ministry and Hogwarts-Harry's in hiding with no idea where his friends are-the odds are overwhelmingly in Voldemort's favour,but then Fate plays a little game as two universes converge...
1. Musings Of A Hero

It was dawn in the forest-the chirping of the birds, the freshness in the air and the rapidly shrinking blanket of darkness were sure signs. In a flash, Harry was awake,alert and ready for any signs of danger. He relaxed after looking at the foe-glass, which showed nothing, and the sneakoscope, which was normal. This process was just a precautionary measure, because the tent had most of the protective spells on it, to keep away intruders, of both the muggle and magical kind. Harry would,however, have been happier, if the tent was hidden under the Fidelius , but he couldn't perform the charm yet, and there was no question of finding a secret keeper.

Harry looked around-was it merely coincidence, that these woods were the same in which the events of the Quidditch World Cup Finals had taken place-the first omens, first signs of things to come. Sometimes he wished he could grab hold of a time-turner and go back all those years, just to see those whom he yearned for-Sirius, Dumbledore, Fred, George, Mr. Weasley,Neville, Luna-who were now the casualties of the raging war against Voldemort, which had led to the disbanding of The Order a few months ago-due to the loss of many of it's members -and the others who turned traitor, going over to the dark side. After the Battle of Diagon Alley a year ago, in which Fred and George had fought, heavily outnumbered, to defend their shop till the very end- Harry had lost all contact with the Weasley family-he knew that they were not dead, for The Daily Prophet would have gladly reported it- Voldemort had, after taking over the Ministry, made it into his official mouthpiece-his instument for the torture and eradication of muggle-borns and half-bloods-not to mention the non-magic folk, whose Prime Minister was murdered in his office the very day after Voldemort conquered the Ministry.

There was not even a day when Harry did not think about Ron and Hermione, whom he prayed and hoped were alive, well and in their own way, putting up some sort of resistance against Voldemort. Of course, thinking about Ron and Hermione brought another memory to his mind-Ginny, that blazing look in her eyes, her beautiful face framed by her wonderful red hair as she ran across the common room to kiss him; that contented, happy feeling he'd get whenever they were together-that everything was alright with the world, and that he had finally found his home. He did not regret breaking up with her after the funeral-it was, after all, for her own safety. However, as he thought about his decision now, he wondered about it's relevance in the present circumstances. Would it really have mattered? Couldn't they have had a few happy moments together before all hell broke loose? Harry had never stopped loving her, and even now, he hoped that she was safe and well;he knew that she was smart enough to take care of herself-he would give anything for the warmth of her embrace, or to just see her beautiful face.

Harry's anger mounted as he thought about the one responsible for all this-Voldemort, the name he hated, and that which he was not allowed to speak-the Death Eaters had jinxed the name of their Lord, so that the ones bold enough to speak his name, hence opposing him, could be caught and neutralized. It had worked well too, and many of the brave Order members had been caught in the net, and sent to their graves. There had been a 'raid' on the Burrow a few weeks after the battle in Diagon Alley, but it was empty and had a deserted look to it. The last time Harry had spoken to his friends was on the day of the twins' funeral;he had made up his mind- none of the surviving Weasleys and Hermione would be a target because of him:he knew that Voldemort would never stop torturing and killing innocent people until he got to him. The loss of Mr. Weasley during the Ministry raid still haunted him-he was reportedly tortured for information on Harry's whereabouts. From that very day, Harry had taken an oath to fulfill his destiny and rid the world of Voldemort.

The trio of Harry, Ron and Hermione had not returned to Hogwarts for their seventh year-intending to search for and destroy the remainder of Voldemort's horcruxes. It was proven to be a good decision, as Hogwarts was taken over by Voldemort, Severus Snape was made the new Headmaster, and the Carrows were teaching 'Defence Against the Dark Arts'- Harry thought 'Dark Arts' would suit the subject better. The advent of the Blood Status rule automatically prevented muggleborns from attending Hogwarts-or from applying for jobs at the Ministry. Regular 'flushing out' of muggleborns would take place by the so-called Aurors and Law Enforcers, due to which those who were still safe took to fleeing the country with their families to remote places like Australia and New Zealand, where they could live as muggles in safety.

The hunt for the Horcruxes had started off well, with Hermione figuring out that R.A.B. was Regulus Black, and locating Slytherin's locket at Grimmauld Place, with Kreacher's unwilling assistance. They had tried every possible way of destroying the locket, every spell in their knowledge, but were unsuccessful-the Locket, was at the moment, in the trunk in Harry's tent; however, before they could make any further progress, it was Bill and Fleur's wedding-the very day on which the Ministry fell into Voldemort's hands. Immediately after that they had gone into hiding, returning for the Battle of Diagon Alley, where they tried to bolster the dwindling ranks of the Order and the last stand against the Death Eaters. After Fred and George's funeral, Harry had left the Burrow, wowing not to return until he destroyed Voldemort. The sad, lost look on Ginny's face during the service was almost too much for him to bear. Harry had borrowed a trunk from Remus the day after the funeral-he was the only one who knew of Harry's plan; and since then Harry had been moving from place to place, keeping a low profile, using Confunding charms to nick food from unsuspecting muggle stores, and searching for the other Horcruxes.

Harry kept his mind occupied by focusing on the remaining Horcruxes-those which he still had to find and destroy...The Cup...The Snake...something of Ravenclaw's or Gryffindor's... this was his motivation to fight-to keep battling, even when the chips were totally and utterly down-to honour his wows to the Weasleys and all the others who had fought and died to bring Voldemort down. However, deep down, Harry knew that these were insurmountable odds-all that was standing in front of Voldemort-who had the power of wizarding Britain with him, was Harry, Hermione, the Weasleys and a few other stubborn souls who were unwilling to give up the good fight. Harry forcefully brought his mind back to the present -the mind, if allowed to stray, could lead him into very dangerous waters indeed. He had discerned the location of Hufflepuff's Cup-it was in Gringotts-in the vault of the Lestranges-he had to get it out somehow; but the perfect plan never seemed to enter his mind-how he wished Hermione was here. As Harry Potter geared himself up for another long day in the wilderness, he found himself hoping for some kind of a miracle...something that would balance the equation...a little help-somebody or someone who would lessen the weight on his shoulders.

Little did Harry know that his wish would be granted...


	2. The Ritual Of Eternal Damnation

The Ritual Of Eternal Damnation

The man appeared out of nowhere in the moonlit, desolate lane. After taking a moment to collect himself, he set off at a brisk pace; the lane was bordered on the left by wild, low-growing brambles, and on the right by a neatly manicured hedge. He then turned right, into a wide driveway

that led off the lane. The high hedge curved into them, running off into the

distance beyond the pair of impressive wrought-iron gates. Snape did not break his step; in silence he raised his left arm and strode straight through, as if the gates were nothing but air. A handsome manor house grew out of the darkness at the end of the straight

drive, lights glinting in the diamond-paned downstairs windows. Somewhere

in the dark garden beyond the hedge a fountain was playing. Gravel crackled under his feet as Snape sped towards the front door, which swung inwards, though nobody had visibly opened it. The hallway was large, dimly lit and sumptuously decorated, with a magnificent carpet covering the stone floor. Snape felt the eyes of the pale-faced portraits on the wall on him as he walked past. He halted at a heavy wooden door leading to the next room, hesitated for the space of a heartbeat, and then pushed the door open. The drawing room was full of silent people, sitting at a long and ornate

table. The room's usual furniture had been pushed carelessly up against the

walls. Illumination came from a roaring fire beneath a handsome marble mantelpiece

surmounted by a gilded mirror. "Snape," said a high, clear voice from the head of the table. "You are

very nearly late."

The speaker was seated directly in front of the fireplace, so that it was difficult,

at first, for the new arrivals to make out more than his silhouette. As Snape drew nearer, however, his face shone through the gloom, hairless, snakelike,

with slits for nostrils and gleaming red eyes whose pupils were vertical. He

was so pale that he seemed to emit a pearly glow.

"Severus, here," said Voldemort, indication the seat on his immediate right. Most of the eyes around the table were fixed on Snape, and it was him that Voldemort addressed first.

"So?"

"My Lord, everything is in place. The bodies have been well preserved and the time is right for us to begin The Ritual."

"And what of the spell?"

"It is The Spell of The Rising, My Lord. We found it in an ancient book in Borgin's possession. It is a complex enough spell, My Lord, but it promises infinite power."

The interest around the table sharpened palpably; Some stiffened, others

fidgeted, all gazing at Snape and Voldemort.

"And what is the time frame?"

"My Lord, the spell needs to be performed on the Autumnal Equinox, which is a week away. Otherwise there won't be enough magic in the spell to open the portal at Troy."

"And you know this to be the truth?"

"Yes, My Lord."

Voldemort's red eyes fastened upon

Snape's black ones with such intensity that some of the watchers looked away,

apparently fearful that they themselves would be scorched by the ferocity of

the gaze. Snape, however, looked calmly back into Voldemort's face and, after a

moment or two. Voldemort's lipless mouth curved into something like a smile.

"Good, very good. The time has come for me to procure the power I deserve and desire. I am already king of this world. All of wizarding Britain bows before me. The muggle insects have been put in their rightful place;crushed under my feet. It is time for me to become a God among kings;and conquer the magical worlds of other dimensions too. I will force them to submit to my power. Bella, have you and Rodolphous identified the five most magical locations on this planet?"

Bellatrix Lestrange raised her head, a look of worshipful adoration on her face.

"Yes, My Lord. They are Stonehenge, Troy, The Taj Mahal , Atlantis and The Pyramids."

"Good. Troy shall be the centre of the diamond of magical power. You and Severus will accompany me to Troy with the body of that old fool, Dumbledore. How ironic that his death has served my cause. Lucius, you and Avery will be at Stonehenge. Nott and Mulciber shall be at the Taj Mahal. Amycus, you and Alecto will be at Atlantis. Macnair and Zabini, you will be at the Pyramids. I shall perform the spell at midnight on the day of the Equinox. Each of you will ensure that the spell goes on undisturbed till the portal is opened at Troy. If there is any mistake and the spell fails, one of you will part with your lives. I have waited long for this moment. Now you may all go and start making preparations for next week. Severus, stay."

There was a swishing of cloaks, and soon Snape was the only Death Eater left in the room.

"Severus, have you gained any information on Potter's whereabouts?"

"No, My Lord; Potter is presumed dead by the majority of Britain as of now;and he may well be in reality."

"No, he still lives; I can feel him through our connection;but he has learned how to block me now Severus;so he's not as worthless as before. But it matters not- I shall find and kill Potter soon enough-inconsequential as he is in the present state of things. What of the blood traitors and mudblood?"

"No news yet My Lord. They prove to be as elusive as Potter himself; they are, undoubltedly, in some kind of safe house which is under the Fidelius."

"I will crush them too after I'm done with Potter. You have been a faithful servant, Severus and you will gain your just reward; your power in my new kingdom shall be second only to mine."

"My Lord is merciful."

"You may now leave, Severus. In a week we conquer an new world."

Voldemort's high, cold laugh followed Snape as he exited Malfoy Manor.


	3. The Spell of The Rising

Harry Potter woke up with a start; he was shaking all over as beads of sweat were making their way down his face. He'd just seen an incredible vision;in which Voldemort planned to open a portal into another world. Harry knew that this was not possible-he had stopped getting visions of any kind since last year, when he had mastered Occlumency-Proffessor Slughorn had instructed him in the basics while he had, after months of practice, accomplished that which he had earlier considered insurmountable. He could now completely block Voldemort from his mind; which,in his opinion, was the reason why he was still alive. Gradually, panic started to set in as Harry strengthened his mental shields against Voldemort. He had to see Remus.

Remus Lupin was, at the present, in the uppermost bedroom of Shell Cottage; the home of Bill and Fleur, and the current place of refuge of the Weasleys, Hermione and the few remaining members of the Order, who evaded the trap set by the Death Eaters. He was looking forward to breakfast; after all, Molly's cooking was excellent as always. He could hear Dora downstairs, joking around and knocking things over. He smiled. It was these things about her that he loved more than anything else; her happy go lucky persona;she had the ability to make people laugh in every situation. They had been married for over a year now, and she was pregnant with their child. Remus was eagerly awaiting the arrival of their child; it was one of the bright points in his life at the present.

He was brought out of his thoughts by a voice calling"Remus, Remus". Remus looked around, before identifying the source as the two-way mirror on his bedside table. His heartbeat quickened as he rushed to the mirror.

"Harry! You can't imagine how relieved I am to hear from you!"

Remus felt a mixture of anger and happiness as he gazed on Harry's face-the only remaining link to James and Lily. Harry smiled at him beforre replying,"My apologies Remus, I've been rather busy;and haven't been able to contact you in a while. But something catastrophic has happened. If we don't do something now we may as well give up the fight. We need to meet immediately."

Remus was shocked. Harry had never, in two years, come to him for any help; even when he had given Harry the two-way mirror, there had been no communication between them. Remus supposed it was the way Harry was-always wanting to protect his loved ones. Remus felt dread as he thought of what Voldemort had done, or was planning to do, that made Harry sound as desperate as he did.

"Where do we meet?", he asked.

"At the Hog's Head, in an hour."

"But Harry, surely you wouldn't want to risk getting caught in such a public place, so close to Hogwarts."

"Don't worry Remus, I have it covered. Just be there.", Harry said and then his face vanished.

Remus sighed and hoped that whatever Harry had come up with, it had better be good. He went down the stairs and found all the Weasleys and Hermione at the breakfast table.

Clearing his throat, Remus said,"Harry contacted me today."

The reactions around the table were random and were gasps from Hermione and Mrs Weasley. Ron and Bill looked as if they had seen a ghost. Kingsley's and Percy's faces were pale. Ginny got up slowly, and came towards Remus.

"Are you sure?", she asked, shock and exultation showing on her face.

"Is he alive and well?Where is he now?"

Ron and Hermione had come up behind her, their faces hopeful and glad.

Remus replied,"He didn't say. But we are meeting today. It seems that You-Know –Who has taken done something which, if not stopped, will seriously hinder any chance of a fightback."

Their faces were full of concern as he prepared to leave. Tonks kissed him passionately and told him to come back safely. The others told him to convince Harry to come back with him. However, Remus knew that after the events of last year, Harry would never return home until everyone was safe and the war was over.

Harry checked his glamour charm again, making sure that his scar was hidden, and that the colour of his hair was brown. His glasses were replaced by lenses. After performing the protection and stealth spells around his tent, he vanished with a pop. Harry reappeared in front of the Hog's Head, and was immediately hit by a wave of nausea. Hogsmeade looked so very different than before. The streets were practically empty;and there were cloaked and hooded figures all over the place. Harry , however, was not recognised as he looked like any other passerby, not special in any way. He entered the pub and ordered a butterbeer. The bartender gave him the once-over before grunting and taking out a chilled, dusty bottle, which he proceeded to clean with an equally dusty rag. Taking a couple of glasses, Harry sat down at the table in the furthest corner from the entrance. Looking around, he saw that the place was full of men in long black cloaks-after looking at him furtively for a moment or two, they resumed their conversations and he was no longer taken any notice of. A few minutes later, a tall man with a short beard, and grizzly hair entered, saw Harry, and made straight for his table.

"Password?"

"Mischief managed", Harry replied.

A huge grin broke out on Remus's face."So. Harry, I see you are quite the master of disguises."

Harry replied with a smile of his own,"I learned from the best."

"So, what happened?"

A solemn look fixed itself on Harry's face as he looked around to see if anyone was eavesdropping. Not that he had left anything to chance, of course, performing the Muffliato charm as soon as Remus had sat down. Finding no one, Harry proceeded to tell Remus all about his vision and Voldemort's plans.

Remus's face was pale as he took a moment to digest the import of Harry's words.

"When is it?",he asked in a hoarse voice.

"Next week", Harry replied.

"We have to stop it."

"I have a plan. We attack Stonehenge, since that is the best chance we have;You-Know Who being at Troy."

Remus agreed."Then we can sabotage the spell with less chance of us being caught"

"It will be only you and me Remus", Harry said."I don't want anybody else involved."

"I understand , Ron, Hermione and Ginny want to see you and they were very relieved when I informed them that you were safe."

Harry's eyes misted over as he thought of his friends,"I want to see them too, Remus;but everytime I decided to contact you, the guilt kept holding me back; the blood on my hands."

"Harry, you are not to be blamed for any of this. You are one of the kindest and bravest people I know", Remus said.

"So we meet five days later at the same place. Come half an hour before midnight."

With this arrangement between them, the two men departed to their respective homes.

TROY

It was an hour before midnight. The Dark Lord felt elation as he stood at the most powerful magical location on the Earth. Snape stood to his right, and Bella to his left. They were standing in front of a circle of roughly shaped rocks which looked as if they had been randomly placed near the seashore. The vast expanse of the Mediterranian stretched out in front of them.

Voldemort waved his wand, and the rocks morphed into six symmetrical, miniature prisms. Bolts of magical energy seemed to crackle between the prism pillars.

At the same time, around the world, similar preparations had been made at Stonehenge, Atlantis, the Taj Mahal, and The Pyramids.

Voldemort summoned Mc Nair, Amucus Carrow, Malfoy and Nott. They confirmed that things were in place. Voldemort sent them back to their positions.

Then, with a feeling of anticipation, he raised his wand.

"Scissum intermundia"

There was a flash of light as the Spell of The Rising was initiated. Voldemort scornfully looked apon the body of Albus Dumbledore, which was placed in the centre of the circle, and was now acting as a conduit and source for the vast magical power needed for this spell.

There was a sudden shockwave of magical energy as the pure dark magic was initiated and started to power the spell. A hemisphere of raw, crackling magic was formed over the prisms;suddenly, it arced outwards in four directions; over the Mediterannian, and to the North, East and West.

Lucius Malfoy looked at the pillars of Stonehenge in awe; as they pulsed with magical energy-the pure dark magic seemed to circle around the pillars and then disappear outwards in three different directions. Never had a ritual of such power been performed in magical energy. After this, his Lord would be the most powerful being in all the worlds. Nothing should disturb this ritual;it was aptly called The Ritual Of Eternal Damnation. There was now just over a minute left before midnight, and then the portal would open in Troy; giving his Master access to unlimited power. Avery was, at the moment, along with his son Draco, Crabbe, Goyle, and a few new recruits, guarding the place but not really expecting any resistance. After all, the last battle all of them had fought was a year ago when they were victorious over the remnants of the Order and Aurors.

Ten Minutes Ago

With a barely discernable pop, Harry and Remus apparated in the woods surrounding Stonehenge. They immediately felt the power of the magic in the place, which was bolstered by the Spell of The Rising. For a moment, they were awed by the sheer sight of the pulsing black magical energy, which seemed to stretch from Stonehenge in three different directions, into infinity. They also saw the Death Eaters guarding each pillar-there were four pillars, so eight Death Eaters. Harry could also see Lucius Malfoy, whom he recognised from his long blond hair, who seemed to be in command of the process here. At that exact moment, Malfoy called attention to his Death Eaters, giving them the last minute briefings. There was just a minute left before the portal would open. Remus gave the signal; Harry raised his wand, disillusioned himself before seeing that Remus had done the same. He then raised his wand and, pointing at the nearest of the stone pillers, thought in his mind,"Confringo!"

The powerful exploding spell made contact with the centre of the pillar, crushing it to bits. Instantaneously the Spell Of The Rising was broken, and the pure dark magic, which was earlier controlled in a circular pattern, was now unleashed. Remus had similarly exploded the other pillar as well, and the pulsing black magical energy was now gone. There was a cry of rage from Lucius Malfoy, and he and the other Death Eaters immediately started firing spells at Remus and Harry's approximate locations. Harry was grateful to the disillusionment charm-it had prevented him from getting hit by atleast ten killing curses, and the count had only just begun. His job done, he tried to apparate but found that he was moving through solid air; an anti-apparition ward had been placed around Stonehenge. Harry retaliated with bone-breaking curses and stunners, which were bang on target and took out four of the Death Eaters. However there was a sudden scream of pain and Harry turned around to see Remus, his disillusionment charm removed, writhing in the ground in pain as Malfoy held him under the Cruciatus Curse. Around them were Draco, Crabbe, Goyle and Avery.

"Potter!", Malfoy cried,"Show yourself at once or suffer the death of the werewolf!"

Harry looked at the surroundings. There was a large rock near Draco and Avery. Pointing his wand at it, he thought,"Reducto!"

There was a flash of red light and the rock exploded outwards, instantaneously taking Draco and Avery down . Malfoy sent a killing curse in Harry's direction, but he ducked and rolled out of the way and sent a stunning spell, which was blocked by Malfoy's protego. Crabbe and Goyle started sending an array of bone-breaking and killing curses in Harry's general direction. Harry lay face down on the grass, rapidly running out of options as he stayed out of the path of death. He was suddenly struck by an idea as he grabbed a pebble near him and whispered,"Portus".

The pebble glowed blue for a second and then he felt the jerk behind his navel as he left the ground and reappeared, back on his feet, behind Malfoy and the other three. He took out Crabbe and Goyle with two quick stunners; but in that time, his disillusionment charm was cancelled by Malfoy. There was rapid spellfire between the two, as Malfoy punctuated his spells with taunts.

"So, Potter, come to be the hero again? You weren't so hot when the two blood traitor brats died last year-we snuffed them out with ease. I really enjoyed torturing them."

Harry's entire being was filled with rage; unbearable, looking for an outlet;he blocked Malfoy's bone-breaking curse and cried,"Crucio!".

There was a flash of light and Malfoy was on the ground, screaming uncontrollably in pain as he writhed under the full power of Harry's anger.

"I'm not underage any more, Malfoy. I now know the true meaning of hatred."

Harry knocked out Lucius with a powerful stunner. He then went to Remus's side. The werewolf was unconscious but had a pulse going. Waving his wand, Harry removed the anti-apparition ward and was just going to leave with Remus, when he was knocked to the ground. Harry looked around to see that the whole place was vibrating with dark magic. There were four incoming streams of pure dark energy,which stated swirling around the two remaining pillars of Stonehenge. Harry was chilled to the bone as there was an unearthly howl and a rip, or portal opened in the centre of Stonehenge. With a jolt, Harry realised that the spell had been rerouted back to Stonehenge and the portal had, instead of opening at Troy, come into existence at Stonehenge. He had to leave. His scar burned as Voldemort's anger raged. Harry couldn't fight Voldemort now, he was no match for the Dark Lord. He grabbed hold of Remus's unconscious form and apparated away.

It was midnight in another world, a world in which Harry Potter and Hogwarts did not exist. However , Stonehenge did, and it was at that precise moment that a rip opened in the centre of it, pulsing with magical energy-raw and uncontrollable.

Many hundred miles above the Earth's atmosphere, The Watchtower-the Justice League's centre of operations, was orbiting the Earth. Superman was currently on Monitor duty. My turn to play watchdog, he thought others were all having a day off. His reverie was disturbed as there was a sudden crisis call. It was Dr. Fate. "Superman!", Dr. Fate exclaimed,"I need you to go to Stonehenge immediately. There has been a spike in the magical levels there which could prove to be unstoppable if not shut down now."

"I'll be there at once, Doctor."

The huge bay doors of the space station opened, and then shut as Superman flew out toward the Earth. As he entered the atmosphere he began to increase his speed, breaking the sound barrier as he flew towards Stonehenge. He landed a few minutes later at Stonehenge. He looked quizzically at the rip. He had never seen something like this before. He could feel the power of the magical energy as it swirled around him. What magic is this? He wondered. Suddenly, there was an unearthy howl which came from the rip. Superman found himself getting pulled into it, along with the pillars of Stonehenge and the trees surrounding the place. He tried to fly away but he couldn't move an inch. Soon he was dragging at the ground with his fingers as his body was sucked in. The power of the rip reached its peak, as the howling reached a crescendo and soon he found himself flying backwards through the air. There was a blinding flash of light and the feeling of being crushed from all sides;and then he knew nothing more.

After a few moments, the howling ceased, and when the last wisps of the magical energy had vanished, Stonehenge looked like a bombed-out place. Every tree within the radius of a mile was flattened. The rip was gone, but so was Superman.

Voldemort knew that his spell had failed; his anger knew no bounds. Reaching out with his magical senses, he located the break in the link at Stonehenge. In a few seconds, he, along with Snape, Bellatrix and the other Death Eaters were there. What he saw made his blood boil even more. Lucius, Avery and a few other Death Eaters were on the ground,looking like broken rag dolls. The rip had vanished, but in it's place, Voldemort saw a very peculiar sight. There were four humongous pillars;but among them there was a body. He went closer; and was surprised at what he saw. It was a man-however, this man wore the most peculiar clothes;almost like the costume of one of those muggle comic superheroes. It was a blue suit with a red cape, with a large yellow symbol on his chest which looked like an S inscribed in a pentagonal shape. Voldemort was bewildered and angered by the appearance of this new individual. He was either an accomplice of Potter, who no doubt had a hand in the failure of his spell, or he was from another world, another reality. The man was unconscious. Thinking quickly,Voldemort made his decision.

He ordered his Death Eaters to take the man to Malfoy Manor, where his thorough interrogation would take place. Voldemort would then decide whether the man was useful to him. If not, he would kill him and then focus on finding and destroying Harry Potter once and for all.


	4. Who Am I?

Who Am I?

_He was flying. It was natural to him, like how it felt to walk, or to run. A great city lay spread out under him. The glow of the many lights of the city resembled fireflies, twinkling merrily against the darkness of the night. He dived down towards the city, speeding up as he searched for his destination. Soon, he neared a skyscraper which had a big globe on top of it, on which the words "Daily Planet" were inscribed, on a metal ring surrounding it. Instinctively, he knew that he had reached his destination. He landed smoothly on top of the building. She was waiting for him. She looked beautiful, as always, her eyes glittering in the moonlight as she rushed towards him. Her embrace was warm and comforting. They separated, ever so slowly, and then her face tilted upwards, her beautiful red lips reaching his..._

He was awake. Gradually, his senses came back to him. He was in a dimly lit, high-ceilinged room. The room was of the medieval type, which struck him as odd; the only sources of light were torches which burned brightly. He would call this place a dungeon, if he didn't know better. His arms and legs were encased in steel chains. A man was standing in front of him. He was indistinct at first, but then he came closer; he saw a pale white face, hairless, with piercing red eyes and slits for nostrils. The man had a gaunt, skeletal body, and was dressed in long, flowing black robes. Spidery like fingers caressed a long, thin, stick like object, which the man then proceeded to point at him. The man's lipless mouth curled into a smile. He counted six other men behind the man, who were similarly robed and who were each holding a similar stick like object. However, the faces of these men were hidden by white, skeletal masks.

The leader spoke," I am Lord Voldemort. In this world, I am all- powerful. I will ask the questions, and you will give the answers. If you do as I say, your life will be spared. Act otherwise, and your death will come quickly, but not before you have experienced pain beyond your imagination."

"Who are you?"

"I don't remember."

Voldemort raised the stick like object.

"Crucio."

Before he could begin to wonder what would happen, he was hit by pain; tremendous, all consuming. He felt like he was being burnt in a thousand fires. As he reeled in agony, he realised that he had, in his past, felt pain greater than this. A scene came to his mind's eye:

_He was lying face first into the ground. Somehow, from within himself, he summoned up enough energy to sit up. Standing before him was a man. They were in an island which seemed to have been made out of crystals. The man smiled as he brought a shard of crystal close to his face. It was green, shimmering. This crystal was danger, he thought. He had to get out of here. The man kept smiling as he stabbed him with the crystal shard. He screamed like he had never before. He would rather die than undergo this pain. He got up; he had to get away from this man. He took a few steps backwards and then-he was falling..._

He was jolted back into the present. The pain had stopped.

"That was just a taste, my friend. This is just the beginning of what is to come if you don't co-operate."

"Now, where is Harry Potter?"

He had never heard that name. He had no idea.

"I don't know."

Voldemort smirked," A little more persuasion is required, I see."

"Legilimens!"

Neither he nor Voldemort was prepared for what happened next. The prisoner was expecting more pain; but he felt nothing but the smallest of vibrations before images started to flash before him, like advertisements on a television.

_He was in his room at the orphanage, how he hated it here; he knew that he was special..._

_He was sorted into Slytherin...he felt oddly satisfied ..._

_He was academically very brilliant, soon becoming Prefect of his House...collecting a band of loyal friends..he preferred followers...who fawned on him...they would make good servants..._

_He craved power, and immortality...he was fascinated by the concept of Horcruxes..._

_With the help of his Potions Master, he now knew how to make them...the fact that he would have to kill to create even a single Horcrux did not bother him...it was merely a means for his rise to power..._

_All through, he knew that Dumbledore disliked him, was suspicious of him...the only person who could see him for who he was...so Dumbledore was dangerous..._

_He created his first Horcrux by killing his muggle father, who had abandoned him..._

_Soon he had six more of them, hence making up the most powerful magical number...seven..._

_The Diary...Slytherin's Locket...Hufflepuff's Cup-which was now in the vault of his faithful servants, The Lestranges...The Ring...still in the House of Gaunt...Rowena Ravenclaw's Tiara...which was in the Room of Requirement...and his beloved Nagini...who had kept him alive when he was so near Death's door..._

_And then he had heard of the Prophecy that had started it all...he was at the height of his powers...yet there was someone who was destined to defeat him...born at the end of july...there were two candidates...he chose the half-blood like himself...Harry Potter...that was the child whom he had to kill..._

_The Potters tried to hide...with the Fidelius...but they were deceived...their Secret Keeper was one of his followers...he turned up one night...the charm broken...killing the parents was easy...they didn't put up a fight...how could they...they had trusted the traitor...the mother begged him to spare Harry's life, to kill her instead...he had grown impatient and was more than happy to do so...then he pointed his wand at the child very carefully..._

"_Avada Kedavra!"_

_And then he broke... __He was nothing, nothing but pain and terror, and he_

_must hide himself, not here in the rubble of the ruined house, where the child_

_was trapped and screaming, but far away... far away..._

_He roamed the earth like a ghost...for thirteen years...none of his followers came for him...and then, Wormtail showed...the traitor...the whimpering, pathetic man who had no will of his own...assistance was welcome,regardless of the source..._

_He was elated...his plan had worked...Harry Potter lay bound and helpless in front of him...tied to his muggle father's tombstone...as he admired his new body...created using the boy's own blood...his Death Eaters were back to his side...he would kill the boy now, as a mark of his triumphant resurrection..._

_He was angered...he had underestimated the boy...who was brave and stubborn like his father...Potter had succeeded in getting away...however, another plan came to his mind as he explored the mental connection he shared with Potter...He lured Potter to the Ministry...using his godfather as bait...so that he could obtain the prophecy...this plan failed too...Potter was saved by Dumbledore...that old fool..._

_So he decided to kill Albus Dumbledore...he gave Draco Malfoy the job...although he knew that if something went wrong, Severus, his faithful spy, would ensure that the plan did not fail...he was successful at last...Dumbledore, one of the biggest obstacles in his path, was dead...soon after he captured the Ministry of Magic...and disposed of Arthur Weasley, one of the blood traitors who was close to Harry Potter...he had tried to torture information about Potter out of Weasley...but he was loyal to Potter till the end..._

_Hogwarts fell before him...his Death Eaters took the place by storm...Severus was now the Headmaster of the school...he had used the power of the Ministry to form the Blood Status Law...now only those who were pure of blood could obtain magical education...the mudblood filth were captured and imprisoned...his plans for the muggles had finally come to fruition...after his giants and followers had crushed whatever pathetic resistance they offered, they were packed off to concentration camps...where they worked till they were dead..._

_The Light side...in a desperate last stand, engaged his forces in Diagon Alley a year ago...he was victorious...he had finished off Alastor Moody, the famous Auror, in an absorbing duel...and his followers had ended the challenge of the Weasley twins...only a few left that battle alive...but none were willing to stand up to him...choosing, indeed, to flee the country..._

_Severus found the Spell of the Rising...he was exultant...he could finally extend his power to other realms...he would create history...and then, Potter had risen from the ashes...his pathetic Death Eaters had allowed Potter to break the Spell...once again, Potter had proven to be a thorn in his side...His anger knew no bounds...Lucius Malfoy had paid for his blunder with his life...he was killed in front of his son...to send a message to his Death Eaters...no more mistakes like these would be tolerated..._

Suddenly, the images stopped and the prisoner was pulled out of Voldemort's mind. It was too much for him, the memories, the killings, the torture this man had inflicted on innocent people. There were many things which the prisoner did not understand, magic which he did not know of, sights he had never seen before; but amongst all this, one thing was clear as crystal. Voldemort was a murderer;an evil, sadistic monster who had to be stopped. He looked up-Voldemort had got over his surprise and an expression of rage set into his features; he raised his wand, no doubt to kill him. The prisoner knew that he had to get out of there. He strained his arms and legs; the steel chains broke away as if they were nothing but air-he dodged Voldemort's curse; it moved past him almost in slow motion, as if someone had slowed time down. The Death Eaters raised their wands, but before they could cast a spell, he was out of the room. He speeded up the stairs as fast as he could. There were Death Eaters in the hall; they appeared to be frozen in place as he flashed past them; he headed straight for the door; which was torn off its hinges by the sheer momentum of his motion.

He kept running, not stopping until he had left his pursuers far behind. He found himself in a forest; it was silent and nobody but the animals seemed to be there. He decided to rest there for the night; he had so many questions, and so few answers. He needed to know more...a lot more. He didn't know his name, where he was from, and how he ended up in Voldemort's lair. He knew where he could find the answers. One name kept repeating itself in his mind...Harry Potter. He had to find Harry Potter.


	5. A Battle and Revelations

A Battle And Revelations

Harry looked up at Remus as he finished his tea. It had taken the werewolf two full days to recover from the effects of the rather powerful Cruciatus curse cast by Malfoy. While he had spent the last two days resting, Harry had used that time to reflect and make decisions. He had decided to seek Remus's help in searching and destroying the remaining Horcruxes. The insight of an experienced and powerful wizard like Remus would definitely strengthen their chances.

"Remus", he said, "There's something I need to talk to you about."

Remus's eyes were wide and his face was pale at the end of Harry's revelations.

"Seven! Great Merlin's ghost! He made seven Horcruxes! I don't know how his body could withstand it. I will help you, Harry, in any way that I can. So how many are left to destroy?"

"The Locket, The Cup, Nagini, a last unknown object, and of course You-Know-Who himself. I have the Locket with me", Harry said, taking it out of his trunk and passing it to Remus, who winced ever so slightly before examining it in a thorough and professional manner. " As for the Cup, it is in the vault of the Lestranges in Gringotts. We have to destroy Nagini last, because You-Know-Who never lets her out of his sight. The unknown object could be anywhere, for all we know."

" There are a lot of powerful spells on this Locket, Harry. It can't be destroyed by a simple Reducto or Confringo. However, if Dumbledore were here, he might have pulled it off, because the power behind the spell is a factor too. I think we might have to show this to Bill. He's the curse breaker, after all."

Harry frowned, not wanting to let more people know about the Horcruxes; but he had to admit that Remus was right. Maybe Bill could help, he thought.

"Alright", he said, " You can go back to Shell Cottage and get Bill along back here. Then he can examine the Locket and tell us which spell is likely to be effective."

Remus took in a deep breath before replying," That can wait for a little while, Harry. First you need to come back home with me. Your friends and especially Ginny are worried sick about you. They love you, Harry. Never push your loved ones away. They will stand by you till the end, and give you the strength of will required to defeat You-Know-Who."

Anger showed on Harry's face as he said," I can't go back! I've caused them enough hurt already. And now, even if I wanted to, I couldn't. My occlumency barrier has failed, Remus. My connection to Voldemort has broken through it. I feel his emotions stronger than ever now. Just two days ago, I could sense his rage when we broke the spell."

Harry's outburst ended as he saw the panic on Lupin's face. The sneakoscope on his table had begun to spin. Blurry images appeared in the Foe-Glass, getting sharper by the second. Harry realised his blunder, he had said Voldemort's name and activated the jinx. Almost immediately, he felt the wards on the tent break under the attack of offensive spells outside. Deciding to fight till the end, he stepped out of the tent along with Remus, but not before disillusioning the two of them. Three Death Eaters stood outside, wands pointed at their approximate positions. One of them raised his wand, "Homenum revelio!"

Oh crap, Harry thought as his and Lupin's disillusionment charms were cancelled. They immediately came under offensive spellfire from the Death Eaters. Ducking a killing curse, Harry retaliated with a stunner and bone-breaking curses in quick succession, forcing his opponent to be on the defensive. The two Death Eaters engaging Harry and Remus were powerful wizards and Harry was using all of his resourcefulness to keep his opponent at bay. From the corner of his eye, Harry noticed the third Death Eater make a complicated wand movement. He was in no way prepared for what happened next. There was a flash of blinding white light and a boom of magical energy as all the duellists were thrown to the ground. Harry's vision cleared and he thought he must be dreaming. Surely this was a nightmare; he hoped he would wake up soon. Towering over Harry and Remus and behind the Death Eaters were no less than three monstrous giants. They stood more than thirty feet tall. The biggest of them was in the middle; he let out a thunderous roar and threw a gigantic spear at Harry. It embedded itself in the earth, having missed its intended target. With a faint pop, Harry reappeared behind the giants. He threw a powerful stunner at one of them. It had as much effect as a pebble striking a mountain would have, but was enough to gather his attention. The giant turned, swinging a wooden club at Harry, who, having anticipated this attack, was able to leap out of the way. Landing back on his feet, Harry aimed carefully at the left eye of the giant and launched a powerful conjunctivitis curse. The enraged roar from above confirmed that he had hit the bullseye. The injured giant blundered around in rage. Unable to distinguish enemy from ally, he picked up two of the Death Eaters closest to him and slammed them back down onto the ground . Blood spurted like water from a fountain as the resulting mini earthquake threw Harry, Remus and the remaining Death Eater off their feet. Remus, who was fighting a losing battle against the two Death Eaters, had no time to recover. The solitary Death Eater launched a killing curse at him and one of the giants swung a broadsword the size of a lamppost at him. Remus raised his wand."Expulso!" The powerful propulsion spell threw him upwards and backwards, away from both the lines of attack. The killing curse collided with the broadsword, instantly vaporising it as Remus landed gracefully back on his feet, a few yards behind where he was earlier. He started firing spells at the giant, intermittently keeping his protego shield up. On the other side of the battle, Harry was doing his utmost to keep the other giant at bay, firing bursts of wind from his wand, trying to drive him back, but to no avail. Suddenly he noticed a movement from the corner of his eye. The Death Eater had launched a spell at him. However, at the same time, the giant raised his leg and brought his huge foot above Harry, in order to crush him. Trying to evade instant death, Harry took evasive action, but instead moved directly into the path of the incoming spell. He was disarmed and thrown to the ground. How ironic, he thought, to be beaten by Expelliarmus. The only thought in his mind was of Ginny, Ron and Hermione as he awaited death.

He looked around at the forest. It was beautiful at dusk. The setting sun, the chirping of birds, twittering of insects. He had learned a few facts about himself in the last two days, forcing himself to remeber. His name was Clark, Clark Kent. He lived in a farm. His parents were Jonathan and Martha. He was special, he knew now. He could run really fast, but was that all? He didn't think so. He wondered what other powers he had yet to discover. His reverie was disturbed as he picked up a sound. A muffled thump . He concentrated harder. It was like increasing the volume of a radio channel as the sounds intensified; a fight was going on. Then he heard a roar of rage. Something within him forced him to go there. There could be innocent people out there; he had to save them. He sped away towards the location; moving as fast as he could. In a second he was out of the forest; in a quarter of another, he was speeding along a street, which was empty and desolate; in another half second he was along a tattered bridge overlooking a river; and then he was in another forest, closing in on his destination. He reached a clearing-he saw a huge giant, enormous in proportion, raise a foot the size of a car and begin to bring it down on a man in black robes, who was on the ground. Without stopping to think, Clark superspeeded to directly beneath the giant's foot. He prepared to be crushed as the foot made contact with his raised hands.

He was surprised by what happened next; the foot barely seemed to weigh much as he easily stopped it, preventing it from crushing both him and the man on the ground. As the giant gave a grunt of surprise, Clark was seized by a memory.

_He was standing on the farm with his father. There was a large tractor in front of him. He picked it up with ease and threw it into the air. It flew high up, in a huge parabola, as he speeded up just in time to catch it, and put it back down onto the grass._

Clark gave a big push upwards with his arms, and the giant was thrown high into the air before falling a good hundred metres away, flattening atleast five trees, and creating a mini-earthquake. He was out of the fight. Almost immediately, however, Clark felt the wind knocked out of his lungs as the other giant delivered a powerful kick from behind, sending him upwards into the air; the momentum was enough to send him atleast twenty feet up into the air. As he waited for gravity to take hold of him, another of his powers was revealed to him; he remained in the air, hovering slightly, but not falling down. Another scene came to his mind's eye:

_He was running along the grass, faster then he believed possible; blood pumped hard in his veins as he reached the edge of a cliff. He took off into the air, going higher and higher upwards. He reached the clouds. The whole of Smallville was below him as he hovered. He could fly! This was wonderful! He felt so much at home here, in the air. This was his element. He flew back down gently, laughing at a passing eagle as it squawked at him. He had to do this more._

Clark dodged the lunging club of the giant as he flew straight into his midsection, landing a few punches before delivering the knockout blow, a lifting uppercut to the chin. The giant was knocked out. He looked around. The Death Eater in black robes vanished with a pop. There were two people still standing as he landed back on the ground. One was black-haired and wearing glasses, the one whom he had just saved. The other was just getting up from the floor, grey haired and dishevelled. He had just brought down the blinded giant. Both had identical looks of shock on their faces.

_Oh dear_, Clark thought_, this requires some explanation_. He walked up to them and stuck out his hand.

"Hi. I'm Clark."

They continued to gape at him.

He smiled.

"Pleased to meet you too."


	6. Introductions and Reunions

Of Introductions and Reunions

There were not many things in the world that could surprise Harry Potter, considering that he was a wizard; and that he also was a most unusual kind of wizard. Considering the challenges and dangerous situations Harry had faced in his life, he was used to thinking on his feet; surprises had become natural to him. However, his present state could only be described as gobsmacked beyond comprehension. Just a few seconds ago he had been staring at the face of death, looking at the giant's foot as it came down to crush him; the next moment , the giant was lifted and thrown off its feet by what he could only describe as a red-blue blur. Soon, the other giant was also incapacitated, and he and Remus were safe. Harry rose to his feet. His expression was mirrored on Remus's face as their rescuer landed on the ground in front of them-_had he just been flying? _He looked very similar to one of the comic-book superheroes that Harry used to sneak into Dudley's room to read when he was a kid. A blue suit, with a red cape and boots . If not for the seriousness of the situation, Harry would nearly have laughed; the man wore underwear over his suit. There was an S shaped symbol inscribed inside a pentagon on his chest. Harry wondered what it signified.

The man introduced himself," I'm Clark."

When neither Harry nor Remus replied, the corners of his mouth quirked up into a smile as he said," Pleased to meet you too."

Harry raised his wand, Remus had done the same," What do you want with us?"

Clark replied, " That's pretty mean, considering that I just saved your life. Calm down. I do not intend to harm you, Harry Potter."

"How do you know my name?"

" It's a long story."

" I'm listening."

Clark sighed and began explaining. When he was done, Harry still had an awestruck expression on his face.

"You not only fought off a legilimency spell from You-Know-Who without even trying, but also made it rebound on him and entered his mind," Remus sounded sceptical.

"I seem to be immune to mind control."

"What other powers do you have?"

" I can fly faster than the speed of sound, I can hear sounds from miles away; and also, as you've seen, I'm pretty strong. I may have other powers that I don't know of yet. However, spells can hurt me, especially his. There was a pretty painful one."

Harry and Remus exchanged looks," That would be the Cruciatus Curse. It attacks the nerve endings, and, after a period of time, can drive a person insane. You say that you don't know where you are from?"

" I can only remember a few things about my past. Maybe the rest will come back to me in time."

"How can we trust you? How do we know for sure that you are willing to help us. This can easily be one of You-Know-Who's traps"; having gotten over his surprise, Harry wasn't willing to take any chances.

" He wouldn't share information about the Horcruxes , especially with you Harry. The very idea is preposterous", Clark had a smile on his face which made Harry feel foolish," and, as for my helping you; after witnessing all that he has done, the lives that he has taken, I am left with no option but to join you in the fight for victory against this evil. I don't intend to let any more people die by the hand of this monster. However, I know that you don't trust me at the moment, but I intend to earn that trust in time."

Remus, who was silently contemplating Clark all the time, seemed to come to a decision.

" I think he is being honest here, Harry. Moreover, we should leave . You-Know-Who would have found out by now that something has gone wrong ."

He picked up a broken tree branch nearby," _Portus."_

Harry immediately put his finger on the branch; Clark, after a moment's hesitation, and a glare from Remus, did the same. The tree-branch glowed blue, and they were whisked away in a swirl of colour and howling sound. A few seconds later, they landed with a thud on grass. Clark found himself on the ground. Refusing a hand from Harry, he helped himself up.

"Now, that was an interesting way of travelling; and pretty quick too. I've never seen magic like this."

" This is pretty slow compared to apparition."

Remus shushed them, before handing Harry a piece of paper, who read it and passed it to Clark. The lawn before them, which earlier had seemed to be empty; now held a beautiful cottage. They stood just at the beginning of the garden path which led to the front door.

MALFOY MANOR

" What do you have to report?", the Dark Lord asked Avery as he kneeled on the marble floor in front of him.

" Your jinx was activated today, My Lord."

"Who was impudent enough to say my name out loud? Was it Potter? Have you finally caught him?"

Avery shuddered."It was indeed Potter, My Lord. The werewolf Remus Lupin was with him. I cornered him at his hideout with two of my men and three giants. But..."

"But what?', Voldemort's voice was as silken as it was deadly.

"We failed to apprehend Potter, My Lord."

"_Crucio._"

Avery's screams echoed off the high, domed ceiling as he collapsed on the floor.

Voldemort held the curse on Avery for some more time, before," _Legilimens."_

His powerful spell broke through Avery's weak Occlumency barrier as the events of the evening unfolded before his eyes. He ended the spell as the influx of memories stopped. Potter had been down and very nearly out before he was rescued by a man; the same man who escaped Malfoy Manor two days ago. He seemed to be very powerful. With him on Potter's side, capturing Potter would not be so easy anymore. Voldemort would have to tread carefully on this issue. The beginnings of a plan came to his mind as he summoned the Carrows. Soon Potter and his new friend would be in his grasp.  
**********************************************************************************

"Welcome to Shell Cottage", said Remus , grinning at Clark, who looked genuinely surprised for the first time in the evening.

"Wonders of the Fidelius Charm", Harry elaborated with a wink.

They knocked on the front door. Mrs. Weasley's voice was heard from the other side," Password?"

" Albus Dumbledore."

The door was opened, and Mrs. Weasley said,"Remus!", before looking at Harry and rushing to embrace him. Harry found himself entangled once again in one of Molly Weasley's famous bear hugs.

"Where have you been, Harry! I'm so glad you're back! I was so worried, not hearing from you for over a year now! We've all been praying for your safety. I don't want to lose another son", she burst into tears. Harry stood there awkwardly in her embrace, not knowing what to say. He was very touched by her words; she considered him to be her own son, even after all that had happened. He did have a family after all-he wasn't alone. A solitary tear ran down his cheek as he returned the embrace fiercely.

"It's all right. I'm here now. Everything's going to be alright."

After extracting himself from the embrace, which was an achievement in itself, he looked around. Remus was in the process of getting a personal welcome home from Tonks. Just behind them were Ron, Hermione, and-his heart beat faster-Ginny. Each of them had different expressions on their faces. Ron looked relieved and a bit angry, Hermione looked happy more than anything. Ginny's face was a study in contrasting emotions. She was the first to reach him, and he was back in the arms of the girl he loved the most; his hands were in her sweet-smelling hair as her lips met his- she was kissing him like she never had before; all her emotions were in that kiss- love, anger, fear, worry, relief. For a moment, she was Harry's world; everything was perfect- it was only the two of them, other things could wait-they weren't so important. The sound of a throat clearing behind them made them break apart. Harry was wrapped up in a big hug from Hermione, and got a pat on the back from Ron."It's really good to see you, mate."

As he met the people that he loved the most, Harry Potter felt an emotion he hadn't over the past year- happiness.

Clark stood quietly behind Harry, watching as he met his friends and girlfriend. Inexplicably, he felt his eyes tear up, as her name came to his mind. Lois. He loved her. He was as sure of that as he was of his own existence. However, he pushed the thought aside as Remus started introducing him to the others. Harry had just finished introducing him to Ron, Hermione and Ginny when there was a cry from Mrs. Weasley. A silver badger had entered the hall and whooshed its way towards Hermione. It opened its jaws and said in Seamus Finnegan's voice," Neville and Luna have just been captured by the Carrows. They're at Malfoy Manor. Please help."

The patronus dissolved into silver mist as the rigidness of shock took over everybody in the room. HarryH


End file.
